In the 1800s doctors really believed that if you had a fever, you had too much vitality and so they would then remove some of your blood!
Dr. Kellogg stated in 1876: “Twenty years ago, when a man had a fever, the doctors thought he had too much vitality—too much life—and so they bled him, and purged him, and poisoned him with calomel, and blue mass, and sundry other poisons, for the purpose of taking away from him a part of his vitality—his life—in other words, killing him a little. If a man was extraordinarily tough, he survived in spite of the killative influence of both disease and doctors …”—J.H. Kellogg, M.D., in The Health Reformer, January, 1876. (Battle Creek, Michigan.)
No cooling allowed! No sunshine allowed! No water allowed!
Those were the prescriptions for patients in the 1800s along with mercury, arsenic and other drugs. In the same history, we are told:
“During the mid 19th century, physicians had no knowledge of physics, chemistry, or physiology. A common treatment was to take one half to one liter of blood from the patient (bleeding), and sometimes more than once per day. If someone had a fever they were put in a hot, dark place without fresh air, fluids or water. The physician used a variety of toxic substances such as mercury, arsenic, antimony, nicotine, strychnine, opium, digitalis and others. …
“In 1777, many sailors on a long voyage became ill with typhus. It was customary to put sick sailors in the bottom of the ship and deprive them of water or other fluids. They were given drugs that were not helpful and often worsened the disease. The sick sailors were denied fresh air and body cooling measures were avoided. So many became ill that there was no room for them in the bottom of the ship. Therefore, those who were not expected to live were placed on deck. These sick men were so miserable they asked the crew to pour water over them. Since they were not expected to live, the ship’s doctor granted their requests. Surprisingly, they recovered. This experience was passed on to other ships’ physicians and, when duplicated, the same good result was seen. Due to the prejudice and disbelief of physicians this enlightenment did not prevail and the old methods continued.” Spiritualistic Deceptions in Health and Healing, page 18, by Edwin A. Noyes, M.D., M.P.H. 2007, Homeward Publishing, Monrovia, CA.
Tobacco a remedy for lung issues!
“A Dr. Chapman is quoted as recommending the use of tobacco as a remedy for the infections of the lungs, ‘the vapor to be produced by smoking a cigar,’ and advising ‘that the patient should frequently draw in the breath freely, so that the internal surface of the air vessels may be exposed to the action of the vapor.’ ” The Story of Our Health Message, page 22, D.E. Robinson, Southern Publishing Association, 1965.
Poor little one with the croup!
“Pity the poor youngster who had croup in those days, and whose parents consulted another authority on the subject on home treatment. He would find by sad experience that for this affliction ‘the remedies principally relied on are bleeding, emetics, and calomel.’ … ‘Let the little patient be bled very freely at the commencement of the case. Then give to the child of three years old or upwards a teaspoonful of antimonial wine [made by dissolving a scruple of emetic tartar in a pint of sherry wine], and repeat it, if necessary, in half an hour. If the second dose does not cause vomiting, double its quantity, unless the case be very mild. … The vomiting should be encouraged by warm drinks, and the nausea should be continued for a few hours.’—Dr. J. Boyd, in Family Medical Adviser, p. 118, Philadelphia: 1845.” Ibid., 22, 23.
What Elder Loughborough saw when his father died.
“… At the age of eight he peered one day through the thick blankets that curtained and covered the tall posts of the bed on which his father lay dying of typhoid fever. The sufferer had been faithfully and lovingly dosed with drugs, and then had been forbidden by his attending physician the comfort of a drink of cold water or even a refreshing breath of pure air.” Ibid., 23.
George Washington’s Death:
“On Friday 13, December 1799, the sixty-seven-year-old hero of the American Revolution and former President, George Washington, woke up in the night at his home in Mount Vernon, not feeling very well. He had been soaked by rain the day before, and now he felt first chilled to the bone and then feverish, with a painfully constricted sore throat and labored breathing. He decided that a bleeding might give him some relief and alerted his household: they at once sent for a bleeder in the neighborhood who took twelve or fourteen ounces of blood from Washington’s arm. But although the General’s family was extremely anxious, he refused to allow them to trouble his doctor in the middle of the night, and the whole household returned to an uneasy sleep.
“Next morning Washington was no better, and Dr. James Craik, his personal physician, arrived at 11 o’clock. It was the start of a grim medical marathon. Dr. Craik, alarmed by Washington’s condition, promptly sent for two other physicians to join him in consultation. Meanwhile, he ordered two more ‘copious’ bleedings; a blister was applied to Washington’s throat; two doses of mercury were given him; and a cathartic injection was forced up his rectum – all to no avail: Washington’s breathing grew more painful and labored. The consultant physicians arrived in the afternoon, and Dr. Craik suggested yet another bleeding. In this suggestion he was seconded by Dr. Brown, but vigorously opposed by Dr. Elisha Dick, who pointed out that they had already drawn perhaps three pints of blood from a sick and aging man. ‘He needs all his strength,’ he argued, ‘bleeding will diminish it.’ He was overruled … and a fourth bleeding was ordered. This time, no less than thirty-two ounces of blood were drawn off – ‘without the smallest apparent alleviation of the disease’ – the doctors later reported.
“A third huge dose of calomel – ten grains – was now given him, followed by several doses of tartar emetic (antimony); vapours of water and vinegar were blown around his throat; to the fiery blister on his throat was added a bran-and-vinegar poultice, and more blisters were strapped to the soles of his feet. After hours of this torture, and several vain struggles to speak, Washington at last managed to make known to his doctors his desire to be left to die in peace. Late on Saturday night – a bare twenty-four hours after he had woken with a chill and a sore throat – he breathed his last.
“It was calculated that over four pints of blood – about half his total bodily content – were removed from Washington. A blood loss of this order would today be considered a major medical emergency, necessitating immediate blood transfusions and intensive care, to avert the otherwise inevitable death from lowered blood pressure, collapse and acute shock … .” Green Pharmacy, The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine, pages 148, 149, by Barbara Griggs, 1997.
These are just a few of the reasons God shared with us the health message along with its laws: nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest and trust in divine power. These health laws were unknown and because of this, many people suffered and died from something which may have been prevented or they may have been restored to health with their use.
Remember history and praise God for His Health laws!